9 day Kilimanjaro Hiking Adventure (Machame Route)
Details
Hiking, Mountain Climbing, Mountaineering, Adventure.
Destinations
TANZANIA Mount Kilimanjaro
Hiking, Mountain Climbing, Mountaineering, Adventure.
TANZANIA Mount Kilimanjaro
This 9 Day Kilimanjaro Hiking Adventure Machame Route will enable you to climb to the top of Africa’s tallest Mountain, the Rooftop of Africa! You will be provided Camping equipment and hot meals with Professional support from certified guides and crew. This Hiking Adventure will take you through the Machame Route.
After your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, a Representative from MuAfrika Adventures will meet and transfer you to your hotel in Arusha.
In the evening meet your expedition guides for a briefing on your upcoming Kilimanjaro Hiking adventure. Together with the guides, you will check all equipment needed for the trek. Should you have forgotten anything important, at a cost you can hire from the guides. Take the time here to ask any questions you may have about your 8 days in Kilimanjaro Mountain. Later enjoy your dinner and overnight at Planet Lodge
Meal Plan: BB
After an early breakfast at the lodge, you will depart for Machame Gate at 07:30 AM with the rest of the group and your guides. Machame Gate is located on the western side of Mt. Kilimanjaro. At around 10:00 AM, after some paperwork at the gate, you are ready to start your adventure and ascend the trails.
As you make your way up the foothills you will hike through the tropical rainforest where you are likely to spot some black and white colobus monkeys as well as plenty of tropical bird species. A steady 5-hour climb will lead you to Machame Camp where your tent will be readily pitched for you.
Dinner is served in the mess tent. Every evening you will start your meal with a hot bowl of soup and energy-packed food. Before you retire your tired legs, you will have a briefing for the next day. Your oxygen level and heart rate will be measured to make sure you are healthy and prepared for the next day’s climb.
Level of difficulty: Average
Meal Plan: FB
After a hot breakfast, it is time to climb through the last part of the rainforest of the Kilimanjaro slopes. Once you pass the tree line the landscape changes to moorland where a lot of endemic plants and tree species are found. Today you will need to remember to go “pole pole” (slowly slowly) as this part of the hike involves a 3-4 hour steep climb. Enjoy your lunch, after continuing to the final 1,5 hours of moderate ascending and descending trail until you arrive at Shira Camp.
The views from Shira Camp are considered one of the most impressive of the Machame route, offering glimpses of the summits of both Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro. If you still have a bit of energy left in you, you can explore Shira cave, which is located only 15 minutes from the camp. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures frequently drop below 0 degrees Celsius at these elevations.
Level of difficulty: Semi-difficult to Average
Meal Plan: FB
Today you will need your energy for the long and tough day ahead.
You will ascend steadily from the moorlands to the Alpine desert landscape. Since the vegetation is low to the ground in this part, there are many stones on the trail and it can get quite dusty. The challenge today is both the long distance that you are covering and the ascent to a higher altitude. At this stage, you may experience some altitude sickness symptoms like severe headache, nausea and/or dizziness. Your first goal of the day is to reach the Lava Tower at 4630 meters. This stretch will take between 4 to 5 hours.
On arrival, you will need to take at least half an hour to rest and let your body acclimatize to the high altitude. After acclimatization and some lunch, you will hike for another 2-3 hours to Barranco Camp at 3840 meters. Since you are descending to lower altitudes, any potential symptoms of altitude sickness will now fade.
Level of Difficulty: Difficult to Semi difficult.
Meal Plan: FB
After a good night’s rest, you will feel ready to conquer the great Barranco Wall! This steep 260-meter-high wall may look a bit terrifying, but making your way over the wall with your hands and feet is quite fun, and the view at the top over Karanga Valley is more than worth the effort. The acclimatization process of climbing the Barranco Wall at 4100 meters is an important factor in succeeding in completing the Kilimanjaro expedition.
After 1.5 hours you will reach Karanga Camp where the guides have already pitched your tent so you can spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing.
Level of difficulty: Semi Difficult to average
Meal Plan: FB
From Karanga Camp, it is a 3-hour steady hike to Barafu Camp, your last stretch before summit day! Today is all about resting up for the next day. Dinner will be served as early as 5:30 PM and then you should get some sleep after this. At around midnight you will be woken up to hike to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Level of Difficulty: Semi-difficult to average
Meal Plan: FB
You will be woken up just before midnight and after some tea and biscuits you will set off for your summit bid of Mt. Kilimanjaro. For the best chance of reaching the summit today, you will need to hike very slowly and steadily. After 6-7 hours on a steep ascending trail, you will reach Stella Point at 5685 meters, just on time for the sunrise over Mawenzi peak. After another hour of hiking over a glacier and caldera, you will reach Uhuru Peak which is the highest point of Africa at 5895 meters above sea level. Sit and enjoy the views for a while and congratulate yourself on a hiking Adventure well done. You will soon descend on a 3-4 hour hike back to Barafu Camp for a well-deserved lunch and rest.
You will continue on for another 3-4 hours today, following the Mweka route to the last camp on your Kilimanjaro expedition; Mweka Camp at 3100 meters. After this unique and highly memorable day, you will have a nice hot meal and some well-deserved sleep!
Level of Difficulty: Very difficult to average
Meal Plan: FB
Your last day on the trails will be very enjoyable and relaxed, through the lush tropical rainforest. After 3 hours of descent, you will reach Mweka Gate where you will have your final meal with your expedition crew and fellow hikers. After a well-earned tip for the crew (information about tipping can be found in the practical information sheet that our Travel Consultant will share with you), you will return to Arusha.
After a week in the mountains, a hot shower awaits you at the Planet Lodge in Arusha. From the comfort of the lodge, you can relax and reminisce about the impressive climb you just completed to the roof of Africa!
Level of Difficulty: Very difficult to Semi-difficult to average
Meal Plan: FB
Depending on the time of your flight departure today, there may be some time to enjoy the pool, have a massage or take a yoga class. All activities you plan for today are at your own expense.
We shall transfer you to the Airport for your flight home!
END OF YOUR 9 DAYS KILIMANJARO ADVENTURE!
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